Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caracas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caracas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,313 in Caracas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,237 in Caracas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,162 in Caracas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than Caracas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Caracas is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$10.86 VES 8,815

-26.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.0K

$68.5 VES 55.6K

-29.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.6K

$11.05 VES 8,971

-11.58%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,107

$3.53 VES 2,862

-17.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 COP 6,082

$1.49 VES 1,206

30.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,760

$1.31 VES 1,063

16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,676

$2.03 VES 1,647

52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.0K

$2.96 VES 2,401

93.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,267

$2.75 VES 2,235

-50.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,470

$2.24 VES 1,819

6.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,321

$1.87 VES 1,522

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,979

$4.76 VES 3,865

-39.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$10.01 VES 8,126

-0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$9.11 VES 7,391

18.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.1K

$11.24 VES 9,126

31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$7.11 VES 5,771

-42.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,917

$1.98 VES 1,609

-20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,651

$2.18 VES 1,766

-2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,926

$2.34 VES 1,900

-5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,404

$2.37 VES 1,925

-13.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,706

$2.13 VES 1,729

-29.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,723

$1.57 VES 1,277

-24.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,623

$2.41 VES 1,959

-51.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.67 VES 3,789

-16.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.2K

$11.92 VES 9,672

21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,955

$1.36 VES 1,105

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,847

$2.05 VES 1,664

38.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,655

$0.52 VES 425

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 243.2K

$30.55 VES 24.8K

154.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,019

$5.11 VES 4,147

-74.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,546

$2.83 VES 2,295

-26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.0K

$15.28 VES 12.4K

-43.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,061

$0.83 VES 673

56.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.7K COP 86.5M

$25.1K VES 20.4M

10.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.5K COP 111.1M

$38.5K VES 31.3M

-7.79%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$176 COP 550.9K

$23.11 VES 18.8K

661.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$11.85 VES 9,617

12.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.5K

$36.68 VES 29.8K

-18.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.0K

$67.0 VES 54.4K

-33.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.4K

$17.84 VES 14.5K

-4.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$6.59 VES 5,352

-5.92%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$793 COP 2.5M

$161 VES 131.0K

391.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$6,113 VES 5.0M

47.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.8K

$74.5 VES 60.5K

14.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.9K

$46.55 VES 37.8K

25.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 426.4K

$123 VES 99.6K

11.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.6K

$141 VES 114.2K

-26.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$608 VES 493.9K

74.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$433 VES 351.7K

56.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,104 VES 895.9K

82.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$866 VES 703.0K

34.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,457 VES 1.2M

182.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$681 VES 552.9K

149.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$303 VES 246.1K

119.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-50.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Caracas: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $608 in Caracas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 119% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $68.0 in Caracas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $335 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Caracas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,969 in Caracas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caracas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 154% less in Caracas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $161 in Caracas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Caracas, where all-in costs run around $1,313, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Caracas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Caracas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Caracas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.